SALISBURY, MD - The Delmarva Shorebirds came undone by a two-out rally in the top of the fifth inning, falling 3-2 to the Greenville Drive on Saturday night at Arthur W. Perdue Stadium.The Shorebirds (15-19) led 1-0 and Matthias Dietz got through his first two outs in the top of
SALISBURY, MD - The Delmarva Shorebirds came undone by a two-out rally in the top of the fifth inning, falling 3-2 to the Greenville Drive on Saturday night at Arthur W. Perdue Stadium.
The Shorebirds (15-19) led 1-0 and Matthias Dietz got through his first two outs in the top of the fifth easily. Lorenzo Cedrola subsequently hit a short blooper over the mound and to second base to beat out an infield single. Cedrola then stole second base and moved up to third as the throw from the plate popped out of shortstop Chris Clare's mitt and into center field. Jagger Rusconi followed with a line drive single to left to score Cedrola and tie the game. Ryan Scott then belted a two-run home run to the left field corner, giving the Drive (22-12) a 3-1 lead in a flash.
Delmarva got one run back in the bottom of the fifth by staging a two-out rally of their own. Clare singled to bring up Collin Woody, who hit a high flyball to the right field corner. Right fielder Yoan Aybar took off in hot pursuit but overran the ball, which landed in play. Clare scored and Woody ended up at third with a standup RBI triple. Gerrion Grim walked to put the tying and go-ahead runs on base, but Preston Palmeiro struck out to end the Shorebirds' last real threat of the night.
The Greenville bullpen took over from there. Hildemaro Renquena pitched three scoreless innings through the eighth, facing the minimum for a hold. Stephen Nogosek then came in and went through Delmarva 1-2-3 in the ninth to lock it down.
Logan Boyd (5-1) earned the win for the Drive after allowing two runs on six hits in five innings, walking two and stricking out three. Last year's SAL leader in wins is now tied for second in wins this season. Dietz (0-3) took the hard-luck loss after the fluke fifth, allowing three runs on seven hits in five innings. He walked one and struck out a career-high seven on 85 pitches, pitching at least five innings for the fourth straight start.
After two scoreless frames to start it off, Delmarva broke the ice in the bottom of the third. Jake Ring led off with an infield single, stole second, and advanced to third on a Clare base knock. Woody then hit into a 4-3 double play, plating Ring to make it 1-0.
Clare finished 2-for-3 with a run scored; he was also hit by a pitch. Frank Crinella had a two-hit game in the nine-hole, going 2-for-4. Woody's fifth-inning RBI triple was his first of the season.
Scott went 2-for-4 with the two-run homer and a stolen base to lead Greenville. He has hit three of his five home runs this season against the Shorebirds. Rusconi finished 2-for-4 with a run, RBI, and stolen base.
Francisco Jimenez pitched four scoreless innings out of the bullpen for Delmarva. Until giving up a one-out single to Raldani Baldwin in the ninth, Jiménez had pitched 10 straight innings at Perdue Stadium without giving up a hit and facing the minimum. He stretched his overall scoreless streak to 16 innings, dating back to April 13.
The Shorebirds send lefty Travis Seabrooke (1-1, 4.10) to the hill against Drive southpaw Darwinzon Hernandez (2-1, 2.76) on Sunday afternoon. First pitch is 2:05 p.m., with gates opening at 1:00. Sunday is a Perdue Strike Out Hunger Sunday; bring two canned food items for $3 upper reserved tickets. The Shorebirds are also running a Mother's Day special: all mothers get in for free! It's also a Hit the Books day presented by Dr. James Crouse at the Brace Place, and kids can run the bases after the game thanks to Chili's Grill and Bar. Pregame coverage on Fox Sports AM 960 and the MiLB First Pitch app begins at 1:50 p.m. with Will DeBoer on the call.
